Indigenous Peoples

The primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of indigenous peoples' human rights resides with states.

By definition, NHRIs play a pivotal role in assisting their State to meet its human rights obligations. They can play a crucial role in advocating, lobbying and advising the State and others, such as business, to uphold their responsibilities.

NHRIs can play an important role in raising public awareness of human rights issues and have strategic opportunities to collaborate with indigenous peoples' organizations and NGOs to address indigenous peoples' human rights issues.

NHRIs also monitor state compliance with national and international human rights standards and many have complaint-handling and investigatory functions.

Finally, NHRIs are uniquely placed to engage with the international human rights system, both in contributing to international reporting processes and disseminating relevant information domestically.​